Hermione's Rival
by Marshmallows rock
Summary: When one of the new American students at Hogwarts is just as good at Hermione at everything in class, and better than her at other stuff, Hermione is so fed up with it, that at the school dance, she decides to take drastic action.....
1. Chapter 1

Hemione's Rival

Chapter 1: 10 Reasons to hate her

Hermione looked at the other end of the Gryffindor common room. Since the new American students joined their year, and house halfway through September, things had changed. They were really popular, not because they were rich (which they weren't) or American, but because they were themselves. Nobody knew that Hermione had a secret, burning hate for one of them. Oh, Christian, Tiffany, Toby, Brandon, Jessica, Spencer, and Shira were OK. It was Michelle she hated. From her dark, wavy hair, and golden skin to the tip of her, more often than not painted toes, Hermione did not like Michelle. Michelle was also talented. She was just as good as Hermione at lessons, and had actually been offered a move up to fourth year, but rejected it because she didn,'t want to leave her friends. They were a very close knit group. The way she could sing "Don't Fence Me In" or "Country Roads" or something like that perfectly in tune. They way she could do nearly any dance, like she was doing now, across the common room, be it square, ballet, tap, freestyle, majorette, modern,or jitterbug, Michelle could do it. She could also play the clarinet, and do the splits both ways. Perhaps it was because Hermione was taking so many new subjects, combined with the fact that she now had a rival, who was really talented, Hermione's temper was often at breaking point. Plus the third years in Gryffindor were organising a dance, which Hermione also didn't like.

A shout made her look up. Michelle was dancing jitterbug with Christian. Everybody was clapping and cheering. The music stopped, and with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, Michelle came over to sit with Hermione.

"Hermione, you alright?'' Michelle asked in her American accent.

"Fine," Hermione replied stiffly, in a way to make Aunt Petunia proud. Then she felt like she needed to be friendly. "Which part of Ameica are you from ?"

"We're all from Minnesota. Me and the others are in this club thing, and every year, we go on a camping trip and stuff like that ,it's great fun."

Michelle left to dance some more.Hermione watched her leave and then marched into the girls dormitory.


	2. More Perfection

Hermione's Rival :Chapter 2

More Perfection

The third years emerged from their last class of the day(Potions)coughing and spluttering, but in very high spirits. They had been making a potion with sunflower oil in it, and when Snape accidentically knocked Tiffany's bottle against her cauldron flames, there was a minor explosion, and Snape was supposed to be in Saint Mungos with severe burns, so Professor Slughorn was filling in, and he was decent to all students. Nobody had been hurt badly, although Malfoy had been drenched in potion, Tiffany had a skin rash from the oil, and Ron's robe sleeve had caught fire, but Brandon threw the contents of his water bottle on it.

Hermione was really cheerful, as she left the class, chatting to Jessica and Shira.

However her mood dropped when Michelle came dancing over."Shira, Jessie, Hermione, McGonagall wants to see all the Gryffindor third years upstairs,"she announced.

So the third years trooped upstairs, and sat down in the Transfiguration room. McGonagall came sweeping in. "You have been given the task of choosing the theme for this year's October dance, " she said, getting straight to the point.

"What about an American theme, like square dancing and stuff?" Dean Thomas yelled.

The Americans turned bright scarlet. Finally Toby spoke. "We could have stuff like Motown and things like that to dance to."

Parvati Patil spoke up too. "Yeah, and decorations."

"Perhaps you could give a square dancing demonstration,'' McGonagall said to the Americans. Michelle grinned. "Yeah, OK."

"You have a fortnight." McGonagall left the room.

Back in the common room that Friday night, Seamus finally got a CD player to work. Spencer put the square dancing tape in it. All the chairs were out the way. This was to decide of whether to do the square dance demo or not, but all the house was watching. The music started, and each of them knew exactly what to do. Everybody noticed Michelle, she could even make the dance look elegant in jeans. Her partner, Christian, seemed to read her mind of where she was going, and they worked brilliantly.

By the end, it was definitely going to be in the dance. Hermione groaned. How could she stop Michelle being so perfect? And then an idea formed in her brain…


	3. Too long for Inclusion

Hermione's Rival

Chapter 3: What will be remembered as the October dance disaster

The fortnight quickly flew by, and between schoolwork, homework, and Quidditch practice, the dance was finally organised. The Gryffindors got the day of the dance (Friday) off. The hall was been decorated, and the students got lunch and dinner in their house rooms. By morning break, the hall tables were set out. After break, the decorations went up. There were older students with free periods who came down to help.

"Need a hand, Michelle? " said a voice. She whipped round, and saw Oliver Wood grinning at her. "Yeah, thanks. Could you give me a boost to reach up there? I need to hang this up." Michelle was holding a Stars and stripes flag. She stood on his shoulders and was pinning it up with drawing pins. "Are you all dancing tonight?'' Wood asked her. "Yup. Are you coming?'' "Just about everyone from third year up is.''

Over by the door, Hermione sat. Next to her, Harry, Ron, Dean, and Seamus were all painting banners, and Hermione's charms made the paint flash different colours.

She had her plan worked out, and it was going to put her back in the light……

That night, everybody streamed out of their common rooms and down to the great hall. Michelle, Tiffany, Shira, and Jessica all wore square dancing dresses, which fell to just below their knees. Michelle's was red, Tiffany's orange, Jessica's purple, and Shira's green. Christian, Spencer, Brandon, and Toby were all in cowboy gear.

They got into their places with the rest of the school watching. "Turkey In The Straw" began playing and everybody clapped and cheered. The Americans danced like they had in the common room.

Before they knew it the music came to an end. Toby was on one knee, with Jessica sitting on his knee, Spencer had spun Tiffany around coming to a stop just in time, Shira was on Brandon's shoulder, and Michelle was on Christian's back. The girls lifted the boys' cowboy hats into the air.

Suddenly, there was a yell, and something flew through the air. The cheers became screams, which were dying down in fear. It landed at Christian's feet and exploded. There was purple smoke filling the hall. It cleared to show, Hermione, in her turquoise dress, very pale faced, and Michelle, blood streaming from a cut on her head. If Hermione was pale, it was nothing to how Michelle was. She was very unsteady on her feet. "Wh-what the hell was that?" Michelle stammered. She said no more. Christian ran to support her, as with an arm around him, Michelle collapsed, to the horror of all the watching pupils.


	4. Michelle's Background

Hermione's Rival

Chapter 4: Michelle's background.

With some help from Katie Bell, and the Weasly twins, Christian carried Michelle up to the hospital wing. However, Hermione was escorted to McGonagall's office. The other students went back to their common rooms. Hermione was crying. McGonagall came in and sat down.

"What on earth was that about, Miss Granger? You are the last person I expected that from.''

Hermione tried to tell McGonagall, rubbing her eyes and streaked mascara occasionally. " Well with all the subjects I'm taking this year, it was hard to cope as is. Then Michelle comes along and it just seems she is perfect, all the house points were given to her. She's popular, beautiful, everything I'm not. So I tried harder, but it seems to be getting really hard. The worst thing about it is that Michelle is not conceited about it at all.'' sobbed Hermione.

McGonagall thought for a minute. Then she said, "Well I can help you, Miss Granger, but you will need to know Michelle's history.

'Michelle's father left her mother and went to Australia, taking her 3 year old sister, Kayla, with him, before Michelle was born. When Michelle was a baby her mother became ill with leukaemia. She died two months after Michelle's first birthday.

When Michelle joined the club she is in with the other Americans, she was met with hostility. She ended up in hospital, but the hostility melted away, and they all became friends.

Michelle's adoptive mother married a man with two young girls, 6- year old Karen, and 4 year old Louise. After they married, Michelle was treated very harshly. In June they were all killed in a gas explosion. Now, during the summer, she spends time with friends and family, but lives in the clubhouse with the others.

Michelle puts her tragedies behind her, and carries on with life, "finished Professor McGonagall.

"Now, Miss Granger, I think you should hand in your Time Turner, and drop Muggle Studies and Divination.''

The talk finished with Hermione going to wash her face and McGonagall asking Gryffindors not to treat Hermione harshly, saying she tried to do too much work this year. Hermione decided the next day to go and visit Michelle.


	5. Recovery

Hermione's Rival

Chapter 5: Recovery

Hermione knocked on the door of the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey let her in. She brought Michelle some popular wizarding sweets, and a book she wanted to read. Hermione got a surprise when she went in. The other 7 kids were camping around the bed Michelle was in.

"Hey Hermione,'' Michelle smiled. She was wearing shorts and a fabric painted nightshirt.

Hermione swallowed. "Look Michelle, I'm really sorry about the other night.''

"It's OK. Just forget about it,'' said Michelle. "I'm not badly hurt, I get out on Monday.''

"I brought you some stuff," said Hermione. "Everybody wants to see you, so I would expect an avalanche of presents."

"Yay! Oh wow! Loads of candy and "Hogwarts a history. Thanks Hermione." Michelle said happily, dropping some wrapping paper on Brandon's head, who fell against Jessica.

"Don't push me!" and there was a fight going on. Hermione slipped out of the room.

There was a scent of Christmas as Hermione left. She would never let jealousy get the better of her. Michelle and Hermione were never best friends but there was definitely a bond between them.

"Bulls eye!" Fred just threw a snowball at Hermione, who picked up some snow, threw it at him and ran. Fred had good aim!

THE END


End file.
